


A Different Kind of Relationship

by starlightwalking



Series: A-Spectrum Anthology [8]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Aromantic Awareness Week, Aromantic Character, Aromantic Legolas, Gray-Romantic Character, Gray-romantic Gimli, M/M, Queerplatonic Relationships, mostly canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2016-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 07:31:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6070585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightwalking/pseuds/starlightwalking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Well, there's loving a person, and then there's being in love with them," Legolas said matter-of-factly. "I've certainly loved people before, but I've never been in love."<br/>Gimli raised one eyebrow. "There's a difference?"</p><p>Or: Gimli and Legolas talk about their feelings and how romance isn't exactly what they want.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Well, there's loving a person, and then there's being in love with them," Legolas said matter-of-factly. "I've certainly loved people before, but I've never been _in_ love."

Gimli raised one eyebrow. "There's a difference?"

The two unlikely friends sat facing each other, their crossed legs touching. Even sitting, Legolas towered over Gimli, but the dwarf didn't seem to mind.

Legolas shrugged. "For me, at least."

"Interesting." Gimli grunted. "It all seems so jumbled together for me." He'd loved people before, but he had never stopped to think what kind of a love it was. The attraction he felt to others was strange, indecipherable, and in a way ambivalent. The dwarf lads and ladies he had kissed back in Erebor had never really awakened the strong, devoted feelings of what others had described as true desire within him, but he had, in a way, loved them. He had enjoyed his time with them, had felt attached to them, but it had all seemed to happen altogether, the emotional and physical connection—and yet somehow faintly, or not at all.

"See, Gimli, I'm aromantic," Legolas explained.

Gimli nodded, his eyes lighting up as he recognized the word. His cousin Fíli had been aromantic. "Yes, I have heard the term."

"Really?" Legolas was surprised. "Not many have."

"We call it _bijebtorva_ , in Khuzdul," Gimli explained. "It is not exactly common, but..." He shrugged. "It is known." Fíli had promised to do great works among the people of Erebor once he was king, restoring the mountain to its glory, spreading peace throughout the land, raising awareness of _bijebtorva_ and its struggles. But that had all been cut short. Fíli had died in the Battle of the Five Armies, and all his potential along with him. It had been all such a very long time ago. Gimli had almost forgotten.

"Romance is...baffling," Legolas admitted. "I do not understand the feeling, nor the strange things it makes people do."

Gimli chuckled. "Yes, it is most confusing." He spoke very truly. He had for some time begun to question his feelings for this strange elf who had so rudely intruded into his life. It was years after the War of the Ring, and Gimli knew Legolas as a friend. Together they broke boundaries and had begun to erase centuries of animosity between their races of dwarves and elves, but over the years Gimli had grown troubled. Admitting to himself that he loved Legolas was easy: it was true. But was his love brotherly, wholly platonic, the love felt between friends and comrades? Or was it that indescribable, indecipherable thing, romance? It all seemed so muddled together, or somehow straddling the line between.

Learning that Legolas was aromantic did not shock him. He had never been inclined toward romance before, and had watched with a slight baffled amusement as their friends married and settled down around them. Legolas had instead roamed, leaving his father's realm and establishing a semipermanent residence in Ithilien, visiting Gimli in Erebor often. This was one such visit, and the dwarves that were Gimli's kin had slowly begun to accept their unusual companionship.

But Gimli now worried that, if his feelings for Legolas were indeed of a romantic nature, that it would somehow change the dynamic of their friendship.

Legolas raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You sound like you can relate."

Gimli shrugged. "Like I said, it is all jumbled together for me. I just stayed out of it. Though..." He colored slightly. "I have often wondered if love is not all that bad of a thing, if the other person is good and kind and true." He admitted to himself that he had yearned for that kind of intimacy, but perhaps it was not romance that he craved, but simply intimacy in and of itself. Preferably with a person he loved. A person like Legolas.

Legolas nodded. "I am sure it is a good thing, for those who want it." He smiled wryly. "I am not such a person."

"Mm," Gimli said noncommittally. He looked down at his feet, glad that the fire of his beard hid the reddening of his cheeks. He was embarrassed even to think of such things especially as Legolas clearly did not want it. Gimli ought to feel lucky for having the chance to even know Legolas, not to mention having the chance to be as close to him as he was.

"My father always wanted me to settle down, get married, have children," Legolas complained, flopping over onto his stomach. He ran his fingers through his long hair. "But that was never my wish."

"Yes, I see," Gimli said. He began fiddling with his own hair, his rough hands stroking the curly strands of his beard.

"But..." Legolas put his hand down on Gimli's bare foot delicately. He looked up, and Gimli turned to meet his gaze. Legolas was smiling softly. "It would be nice to have a similar sort of relationship, I do admit, with one I hold dear, simply without the romantic parts."

Gimli only stared at him for a moment. Then, slowly, a smile crept across his ever more reddening face. "Is that a proposal, Legolas?"

Legolas chuckled, turning a little pink in his own part. "I suppose you could call it such."

"I never felt as if I were _bijebtorva_ ," Gimli said. "It simply means choosing craft rather than choosing a gender to love, though I know choice has little to do with it. Khuzdul is an imperfect language, alas. And I certainly have felt love of some sort, and I feel it for you, too. I have known that for ages. The label never applied to me." He paused, reaching his hand down to where Legolas's fingers rested on his bare foot. "But I like your term in the Westron, aromantic. It seems to denote a lack of romance, rather than a lack of all attraction, though I feel things more in a gray area rather than in clear black and white differences."

"I am glad to have told you the word, then," Legolas said softly. Gimli looked down at where their hands touched. Their skin brushed together, and it felt soft and good and warm. They were meant to be together, the two of them, though never in the ways others seemed to expect. An elf and a dwarf ought to be mortal enemies, not love-bound companions, but Gimli had not worried about their racial differences for years.

"We are so different, yet so similar," Gimli whispered. They were very close. There was no need to speak loudly.

"Yes." Now it was Legolas who spoke little, worried about what Gimli would say that could change this relationship of theirs.

Gimli took Legolas's hand, lacing the elf's slender fingers through his own bulky, rough ones.

"I think such a relationship would be fitting to two such as us," he murmured. "It is an in-between connection for some in-between people. An elf and a dwarf; and for me, in-between sort of feelings."

Legolas smiled. "I am glad to have found you, Gimli."

Gimli squeezed his hand. "That is good, for I am glad to have found you." There was a certain peace around them, as if nothing could disturb this perfect moment. Gimli relaxed, lying down beside him. They lay beside each other in harmonious silence for a long time, happy just to be in each other's' presence, holding hands and smiling. And really, that was enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas and Gimli try to find a word to describe their relationship to each other. Language is difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: the q-word is used in this chapter, though not as a slur.

It was common knowledge throughout Middle-earth that Legolas and Gimli were friends. Many marveled that an elf and a dwarf could overcome generations of mutual hatred and bigotry, but that seemed so far in the past for them that they only laughed when someone brought it up.

Their bond was deep and meaningful. Gimli had left Erebor years before, and now reigned as Lord of the Glittering Caves, though he visited Legolas in Ithilien frequently and often for long periods of time. To further the strangeness of their relationship, the elf and the dwarf could often be found hand in hand, talking or laughing or simply enjoying each others' company in happy silence.

Visitors and outsiders were often confused by the nature of their relationship. Some misinterpreted it as romantic, others as platonic, and others could not make it out to be anything. Very few of them were correct.

"My lord Legolas," Elrohir of Rivendell said to Legolas one day while they rode together through the forests of Ithilien. He looked at him a bit awkwardly, before continuing, "Are you and Lord Gimli...romantically involved?"

Legolas forced a laugh. He had grown used to these sorts of questions over the years, but as he was aromantic, they still made him feel uncomfortable. "No, my lord Elrohir," he said with exaggerated fondness, "we are not. Gimli is my..." He trailed off, frowning. "Friend", though technically accurate, did not convey the closeness of their bond. It had been years since they had officialized their nonromantic relationship, and they had only grown closer for it. Their relationship, being platonic in nature, did not include some of the staples of romance, such as pet names.

"...dear friend," Legolas finished insufficiently. Elrohir looked at him for a moment, clearly unconvinced. Legolas didn't really blame him—that long pause had probably only cemented the idea that they were secretly romantically involved. The thought made him cringe, but the damage was done.

Legolas went home that night troubled. He sat in a plush, comfortable chair, a book propped open unread in his lap as he frowned in the direction of the crackling fireplace, lost in thought.

What _was_ Gimli to him? He loved him, certainly, and they both knew it. But the _words_...phrases such as _meleth nîn_ or the dwarvish _amrâlimê_ were too sappy, too romantic. "Friend" didn't quite suffice, or feel right. There was nothing simple or lesser about their relationship. It deserved its own terms like the ones abundant in romantic relationships. What ought he to call Gimli?

"Legolas," Gimli said as he entered their chambers. Legolas looked up as he walked over and slid into Legolas's chair beside him. The dwarf looked at his pensive expression and frowned in concern. "Is something the matter?"

Legolas shrugged. "Oh, not really. I just had an...awkward conversation with Elrohir today."

"What about?" Gimli asked.

"Us," Legolas said frankly. "He seems to be under the presumption that we are...romantically involved." He made a face. "I tried to dissuade the notion, but I'm afraid my clumsy wording may have only reinforced the idea."

Gimli chuckled. "Well, he'll just have to go through life being wrong, then, won't he?" He tapped Legolas on the chin fondly. Legolas smiled and gently batted his hand away. "Besides," Gimli continued, "we _are_ involved, if not romantically."

Legolas shrugged. He didn't like the idea of anyone thinking he was anything other than aromantic, though he hadn't really made a valiant effort to make his orientation known.

"Is something else wrong, Legolas?" Gimli asked.

"Talking with Elrohir today, I realized something," he said slowly. "I don't really have a word for what you are to me. You aren't my beloved or my husband or anything like that. You're my... There isn't a word for it, not that I can think of."

"Well, what about—" Gimli began. Then he paused, his brows furrowing. "Hmm. You're right."

"There are words for people in love, tons of them," Legolas explained, "but nothing that really fits us. _Meleth nîn_ , my love, sweetheart—they're all so _sappy_." He wrinkled his nose.

Gimli grasped his hand fondly. "Well, why don't we think of something new then?"

They tried, scouring through their combined knowledges of Westron, Sindarin, and Khuzdul. Nothing really seemed to fit. At first, the closest the got was _buhêl_ , Khuzdul for "friend of all friends". But that translated more to "best friend" than it did to "very dear friend whom I love very much and want to spend my life with".

"Let's just make something up," Legolas pronounced. "Nobody else bothered to, so we might as well."

"No one will know what we mean," Gimli pointed out.

Legolas shrugged. "We can explain. We have to do a lot of explaining anyway." His mouth twisted into a wry smile.

"Alright," Gimli agreed.

The problem was, neither of them knew the first thing about how to make a word.

"It's not like making something in the forges," Gimli growled in frustration. "There's nowhere to _start_. I'm no linguist!"

They quickly gave up on the idea of making something new and went back to searching through the words already invented.

"Friend, _bâha_ , _mellon_ —I could just as easily call you a vegetable and the only difference is the intent!" Gimli exclaimed.

Legolas laughed, squeezing his hand comfortingly. "You could call me Leaf—that is what my name means, after all, and it is a plant."

Gimli snorted. "That's the sappiest thing that's ever come out of your mouth."

"I'm just trying to help!" Legolas protested.

"You're my...super-friend," Gimli proposed.

Legolas shook his head. "Too silly. You're my... _gwador_. It's Sindarin for sworn brother."

Gimli considered it, raising an eyebrow. "No, too familial. I am definitely queer for you, my dear, if not in the most expected way."

"'Dear' is too inherently romantic," Legolas disagreed. "This is Gimli, my...intimate friend."'

Gimli snorted. "Too sexy."

"You're right," Legolas admitted. "I didn't think of that at first."

"I'd like you to meet Legolas," Gimli began, speaking to an invisible acquaintance, "my platonic husband."

"That's a little odd sounding, and 'husband' isn't right," Legolas said. "I love you, Gimli dearest, but not like that."

"Legolas, my aromantic soulmate," Gimli tried again. This time even he shook his head. "Soulmate isn't a very good concept, I'd rather not support it."

"Gimli, my queerplatonic partner," Legolas attempted.

"Too wordy," Gimli said. "But I do like it. 'Queerplatonic' is nice. It encapsulates the nature of our relationship very well."

"Why thank you," Legolas said modestly. "I guess I may have a way with words after all. Alright then, how about just 'partner'?"

"Too formal," Gimli shot down.

"Also to vague," Legolas added.

"This is Legolas, my companion," Gimli said. "We are in...a queerplatonic relationship."

Legolas opened his mouth, ready to find a flaw in the word, but he closed it thoughtfully after a moment. "Companion," he said thoughtfully. "I like it."

"It's not perfect," Gimli warned. "People might not—"

"I don't care about people, Gimli," Legolas said softly. "If I did, we would not be sitting here together." He put his arm around his companion, drawing him closer, and his kissed his forehead. "This is for me and you. I care about us. I care about you."

A smile lit up Gimli's hairy face. The beard had been a little off-putting at first, but in the multitudes of years that had passed since their first meeting, Legolas had grown to like it as he liked the rest of Gimli.

"Alright then, my companion," Gimli said with grandeur. "Don't get too sappy on me."

Legolas laughed. "Never, my dwarf. Though a companion really ought not to tease."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to [neo-khuzdul-translator](http://neo-khuzdul-translator.tumblr.com/post/130878661267/how-would-you-say-something-like-friend-for) for bâha & buhêl. (Bâha means 'friend', if that wasn't clear.)  
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [khuzdul4u](http://thorinsmut.tumblr.com/post/89547661918/im-about-to-send-you-a-bunch-of-asks-you-dont) for the word "bijebtorva"!  
> My personal headcanon for Gimli is that he's quoiromantic and gray-bisexual. This was a lot of fun to write. Thanks for reading!


End file.
